Szimpla Kert was the first of Budapest’s ‘ruin pubs,’ set up in formerly abandoned buildings.(BERNADETT SZABO/REUTERS)

In the past year 11 new bars and clubs have opened on a single block.(BERNADETT SZABO/REUTERS)

The trend has helped attract a flood of tourists and made the Hungarian capital the top destination in eastern Europe, ahead of Prague and Berlin, according to a Euromonitor ranking.(BERNADETT SZABO/REUTERS)

But the popularity of these pubs has pitted residents against bar owners and politicians, who are enjoying the tourism boost.(BERNADETT SZABO/REUTERS)

Residents complain about the noise and litter as authorities cannot afford adequate cleaning or more than two or three police patrols.(BERNADETT SZABO/REUTERS)

About half of the four million annual visitors to Budapest are estimated to visit Kazinczy Street, the alley where Szimpla stands alongside dozens of other similar venues.(BERNADETT SZABO/REUTERS)

Last year a new law allowed police to shut any bar based on security concerns. Nearly every bar in Kazinczy Street was told to shut from midnight to 6 a.m. But the orders were ignored and not enforced.(BERNADETT SZABO/REUTERS)

Kek Lo (Blue Horse) is another destination for the 50,000 people who hit the downtown area on busy evenings.(BERNADETT SZABO/REUTERS)

Bar owners, many of whom are residents themselves, said the benefits outweigh these problems, with the bars attracting money and boosting property prices in the area despite the economic slump.(BERNADETT SZABO/REUTERS)